Arghl! I missed the medal ceremony for this again!
Anyone know of a way to rewatch it?
Anyone know of a way to rewatch it?
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Felt bad for Piper and Paul also. Usually their skills and program choices are top five, but this year I think they made not good choices. S/K have really good skating skills but the RD was the worst for a top 5 team and the jig at the end of the FD really brought down the level of the entire program.Words really can't describe how sublime P/C were. I'm glad they finally have their gold medal and did it with authority and confidence. It was otherworldly, really.
For me H/D were the deserving silver medallists for sure. Ice dance is politics and we knew S/K would get propped up for silver but they simply outskated S/K. That program was just magical and was technically foot perfect.
S/K I mean... congrats on their silver, but this is totally undeserved. There were balance checks by Nikita through that FS, and some elements really weren't that difficult yet achieved exceptionally high GOE (like the sliding move and twizzles). This vehicle felt inauthentic/inorganic the way P/C and H/D's programs were and had no actual storytelling/concept like Chock/Bates and that energetic sequence at the end is just as contrived and tacky as Nikita's RD shirt. I also don't buy people who say they were technically precise either - you could see awkward transitions and holds (particularly their first lift, which has never really been elegant or easy) and there wasn't a ton of risk or highlights compared to H/D and P/C. If they were from ANY second-tier nation, they would have been 5th.
Italians were lovely but I don't think this was their best skated FD. I really hope they stick around though (even if they are older) because they're so talented and would be great to see them slay in Milan. Also yay for the BFP happy reaction!
Gutted for Piper/Paul and FB/S having costly errors and underperforming. I hope this lights a fire for FB/S to continue because they have so much potential. Same with Stepanova/Bukin on the slide... it sucks they didn't get to do team and failed to have the FD of their careers at the Olympics but they've got mileage in them (especially if Sinitsina/Katsalapov move on).
Big mention to Smart/Diaz - that FD was EVERYTHING. If they were from a first-tier nation, they would have been top 6.
Perfect example. Even P/C who are my favorite team cannot compare to that lift. Nikita’s twizzles were better but still so awkward looking. You are so correct about that last minute, no cohesion.Trying to find an example of S/K video from the Olympics (anyone have it from Twitter or anything? I can see it on CBC but it isn't available outside that) to break it down more (not that I actually really care to see their dance again compared to the rest of the top 5), but I remember seeing this opening lift and every time being like augh the entry always looks so clunky and awkward.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drlP7g1yGTM (around the :54 mark)
Their Olympic FD I watched to see if they had cleaned up the entrance, and they hadn't.
S/K's fast section at the end is just completely purposeless other than showing energy and ending with a crescendo, but it totally has no relation or cohesion to the first 2/3 of the dance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drlP7g1yGTM (around the 3:50 mark). It is a pure cheesefest that lacks any sophistication and even the energy isn't all there (like Nikita's half-hearted butterfly). The IN is just so subpar, switching to classic Russian histrionics instead of anything authentic or drawn from the music.
This is different from say, Smart/Diaz's final end to their FD where they actually increase the intensity and do very difficult footwork to build to a final pose after pretty much lighting the ice on fire. THAT is a good example of having a high-intensity final minute, and an inspired end to that program.
The fact that H/D's first lift (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_iYqgnIKZU#t=1m2s - this example is from Nationals) and S/K's first lift got the same GOE scores from the judges is absolute insanity. If you have access to the actual FD video you should compare the two - there's no way in hell that even Nikita in his prime would have been able to execute that lift.
C/B are not retiring. H/D are retiring.Are they officially retiring after these Olympics? Just saying, the top of the podium at worlds might just be calling their name.
I saw it on Peacock, but I know that doesn't help you. Sorry.Argh fangirl! I missed the medal ceremony for this again!
Anyone know of a way to rewatch it?
Hah, it was such a thing. The winners of ice dance were who could fake dying the best or flail at the audience the best.Haha - love this. 'Classic Russian histrionics'. Perfect
Sad for H/D but great to go out on a high note with an Olympic bronze (and silver, possibly gold).C/B are not retiring. H/D are retiring.
Ugh, guess it was a challenging internet night for a few of us. Was relieved when NBC broadcast started. Glad you found work around.So my internet went out for the final three
watched on my phone and now restarted. The final three were
still like Madi and Zach better than SinKats, but the right team is going home with the gold. Félicitations, Gabby et Guillaume